Ready for life on the open road? Picture yourself in the driver’s seat. Which way will you steer your career? Will you drive solo or as a team? Will you be a company driver or an independent contractor? Are you looking for a regional route, or are you up for driving across the country?
There are many paths to choose from, and Prime’s Training Program will prepare you for the career you want. Along with determining your driving style, you have the choice to drive for one of Prime’s four trucking divisions: refrigerated, tanker, flatbed and intermodal.
Trucking Keeps America Rolling
Truck drivers deliver freight necessary to keep our country and communities running. In 2019, trucks hauled 72.5% of the total tonnage transported within the United States, accounting for 80.4% ($791.7 billion) of the nation’s gross freight revenue. Drivers deliver freight for our country’s largest industries, such as retail, food, pharmaceuticals and construction.
Keep reading to learn more about driving divisions.
Refrigerated Trucking
Refrigerated trailers, also known as reefer trailers, make up the bulk of Prime’s fleet. These trailers carry freight that must be kept chilled or frozen. Prime has more than 6,500 trucks and 11,700 temperature-controlled trailers in the Refrigerated Division. Prime Inc. is the largest refrigerated trucking company in the United States.
Our reefer trailers carry fresh and frozen produce, meat, fruit juices, beer, flowers and pharmaceuticals. If you choose to drive in this division, you may be hauling beef, pork, seafood and frozen desserts across the United States and Canada. Our refrigerated truck driving jobs are available for over-the-road (OTR) drivers.
Our OTR refrigerated trucking pay rates are as follows:
- Company solo drivers: You earn 0.46 cents per mile as a solo company driver. Drivers hauling lightweight trailers earn an additional 0.05 cents per mile.
- Company team drivers: As a team company driver, you earn a 0.56 cents per mile split and the opportunity to earn split bonuses for additional miles. Teams receive a 0.26 cents per mile split bonus for miles between 3,000 and 3,999 per week. For miles above 4,000 per week, teams earn a 0.31 cents per mile split bonus.
- Independent contractors: You make 72% of revenue as a contractor for the Refrigerated Division.
Flatbed Trucking
Flatbed freight includes anything from pipes to farm machinery and more. Our flatbed drivers haul residential and commercial construction and agricultural equipment. You may deliver materials like structural steel, steel plates, steel coils, drywall and roofing as a flatbed driver.
Our flatbed trucking division drives across the United States and Canada. Whether you live on the East Coast or in the Midwest, we offer flatbed trucking jobs in almost every region, as well as long-haul OTR opportunities. Currently, we have regional company and independent contractor jobs available in our South Central, Midwest, East Coast and Western regions.
Below are our OTR flatbed driver pay rates:
- Company solo drivers: You earn 0.48 cents per mile as a solo OTR company driver.
- Company team drivers: Earn 0.54 cents per mile split as a flatbed team and get the opportunity to earn split bonuses. Teams make a 0.26 cents per mile split bonus for miles between 3,000 and 3,999 each week. Teams that go the distance earn a 0.31 cents per mile split bonus for any miles over 4,000 per week.
- Independent contractors: You make 72% of revenue as an independent contractor.
Tanker Trucking
Driving a tanker truck means transporting both edible and non-edible bulk liquids. As a tanker trucking company, Prime operates a fleet of more than 300 trucks and 500 tank trailers that haul across North America. Our tanker truck capacities include 6,800-, 7,000-, and 7,250-gallon tanks.
As a Prime tanker truck driver, you will haul liquids used in food processing and cooking. Our tanker trucks deliver essentials like palm oil, soybean oil and corn oil. They also transport consumables like chocolate, wine and juice.
We offer tanker driver jobs across the United States. Our tanker drivers run dedicated, regional and OTR routes.
Tanker drivers make more per mile than other divisions, though they generally run fewer miles. How much money do tanker haulers make? The following are Prime’s OTR tanker pay rates:
- Company solo drivers: OTR tanker drivers earn 0.53 cents per mile.
- Company team drivers: Tanker teams make 0.57 cents per mile split. They can also earn split bonuses. Teams earn a 0.26 cents per mile split bonus for miles between 3,000 and 3,999 per week and a 0.31 cents per mile split bonus for miles over 4,000 per week.
- Independent contractors: You make 71% of revenue as a tanker independent contractor.
Intermodal Trucking
Prime offers both refrigerated and flatbed intermodal options throughout the United States. If you’re interested in intermodal trucking jobs, we’re the place for you!
What is intermodal truck driving? Intermodal, also referred to as drayage, involves moving freight with two modes of transportation. For drivers, intermodal trucking doesn’t change how you haul freight to or from its destination. It just means that the freight may also travel by train, ship or plane. For Prime’s Intermodal Division, our drivers deliver freight to and from a rail ramp.
Prime’s intermodal driver jobs are all regional. Drivers who choose this path return home weekly or even nightly, depending on their route. We currently have intermodal jobs available for refrigerated trailers across the country. Contact our Recruiting Department for our current openings.
What’s the average pay for intermodal drivers? Pay ranges from $1,100 to $1,300 per week on average. The region and driving division determine your pay.
Learn more about intermodal driving on our Intermodal Frequently Asked Questions page.
Start Your Career: Prime Training Program
How do you choose a division? If you’re interested in driving for Prime, contact our Recruiting Department at 866-290-1568 for more information. We can help you determine which division is the best fit for you.
New drivers must attend Prime’s orientation after obtaining their Class A CDL Learner’s Permit. At orientation, you’ll participate in classroom learning experiences and virtual driving simulations. You’ll also choose your division with the help of instructors and recruiters.
Once you select a trucking division, you’ll begin the next portion of Prime’s Training Program: CDL instruction. If you are a current CDL holder with less than six months of experience or a recent CDL graduate, you will attend orientation and move straight to the TNT training phase.
Are you ready to start your career?
Apply to Prime today or reach out to our recruiters at 866-290-1568 for more information about our trucking divisions.
